Negotiate Your Salary Like A Pro

April 4th, 2017 was Equal Pay Day. A day that highlights the fact that most women would have had to work until April 4th to earn what a man did in 2016. Ticks us off too…ugh! There’s tons of discussion about the wage gap but one thing we are drawing a line in the sand on is each of us has a duty and responsibility to advocate for ourselves. We totally get it, approaching the negotiation table can be challenging – you don’t want to seem greedy or ungrateful…you won’t! Instead of worrying about the what the person on the other side of the table is thinking (which you have no way of knowing btw), focus on the task at hand – getting what you deserve. Nothing more, nothing less.

Here are our favorite ‘must do’s’ when approaching a salary negation from womenforhire.com.

Research your value. Research the value of your talent in the employment marketplace. Find sources that tell you what companies pay for the job you’re considering. The sources should take into account the size of the company you work for and its industry and region. It is even more helpful if you can use a source that helps you calculate the potential value of your personal skills and background such as education, length of experience, certifications, and management responsibility.

Don’t be the first to disclose a number. If possible, try to get the employer to disclose the pay for the job before you tell your requirements. If you find this too difficult or awkward, consider providing a broad range (based on the research you did above) and say you expect “a fair total pay package for the job and my unique set of skills, including….” It is also fair to ask the employer what the market data says the job is worth.

Prepare a counteroffer. About half of all jobseekers accept the first offer that’s put on the table, but most employers make offers expecting candidates to counteroffer – so go ahead, ask for what you want. Remember that your counteroffer can include more than just base pay; it can include bonuses, stock options, vacation time, and a flexible working schedule. Every time you speak with a potential employer, you should be prepared with a complete, prioritized summary of your ideal offer, and you should know in your mind how negotiable you are on each item.

What’s awesome about girl bosses like this community? We can do it all – not only can we do it all, a lot of times we do actually do it all – wearing productivity and busy-ness like a crown of honor. And while we are totally here for girl boss world domination sometimes it’s important to know how to say no. Someone once told us that you have to say no to some things so you have more room to say yes to more important things…game changer! Saying no can be difficult. You don’t want to miss out; you don’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings, or you feel like you can handle just one more thing. Here are some of our favorite ways to say no guilt free.

Vague but effective: “Thank you for asking, but that isn’t going to work out for me.”

It’s not personal: “Thank you for asking, but I’m not doing any interviews while I’m working on this project.”

Ask me later: “I want to do that, but I’m not available until April. Will you ask me again then?”